Now What?
by AlmondJoyz
Summary: Once the survivors decide what to do, life goes on...


**Now What?**

"Now what do we do?" asked Ron as he watched Harry leave the headmaster's office and head toward Gryffindor Tower. "I mean, it's all done. What've we got left?"

Hermione sighed heavily and ran her hands over her face. "I don't know, Ron. I don't know."

* * *

"Mum, what's gonna happen now?" asked George, all cried out and holding Fred's lifeless body in his arms. "I don't feel like myself anymore."

"Oh, George. I'm so sorry this happened," she answered wiping a stray tear from her eye. "We'll figure that out together."

* * *

"Hey there," Dean said, sitting down next to Luna and wiping a bit of blood that was clinging to the cut under her nose.

"Oh, hello there, Dean," Luna answered with a bright smile. "It's a bit strange, isn't it, not knowing what to do."

"I guess so." Dean smiled weakly and took Luna's pale hand in his dark one.

* * *

Andromeda started as the green flames sprung to life in the fireplace. A hand went to her mouth as she noticed it wasn't the ones she'd expected. Her heart sunk and she knew.

"Andie," Arthur Weasley began, "I…I…"

Andromeda let out a wail that filled the room and bounced off the walls sending the blood curdling vibrations deep into his veins. The sound of a baby crying joined with his grandmother's cries and those of a man who'd lost as well.

* * *

"Poppy, has everyone been tended to?" Minerva asked, her eyes taking in the scene before her: families weeping over those they've lost and those who've survived, friends searching for each other and crying tears of joy and anguish.

"Yes, Minerva. I believe so." The old matron was tired, more tired than she'd ever been before.

"Good. Now is the time to begin again," she stated simply as the other witch nodded.

* * *

She ran silently down the corridor and caught up with him. He didn't turn around and didn't seem to notice her standing at his side. And then, without warning, without saying a word, he turned around and enveloped her in his arms.

"Ginny, what do I do now?" He looked up at her with eyes that have shed so many tears this day, and yet, they were dry.

"We'll figure that out later, okay?"

She took his hand and walked with him to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

Ron sat in the common room, twiddling his thumbs, anxious to know what was keeping Hermione. She said she'd meet him down here at eight o'clock sharp, and it was three past. She was never late.

The sound of a throat clearing drew his attention, and he turned toward the source. It was Ginny, standing there with her arms holding muddy and bloodied clothing. He didn't care who they belonged to, although he was sure he knew.

"She's coming," Ginny told him and Ron stood, walking toward her and the stairs he knew he couldn't climb.

"But she's late…" He broke off when he heard Hermione's steps on the stone stairwell and he looked up at her.

Her hair was washed and cut to just about her chin and she wore fresh clothing, Muggle jeans and one of his jumpers with a maroon 'R' emblazoned on the front. His heart tightened and he was finally able to let out his breath.

"Morning, Ron." Her smiled filled his world with sunshine even thought only twelve hours ago, it had fallen apart.

Ron watched as she slowly walked up to him, stopping with their toes touching. He breathed in and noticed she wore the perfume he'd given her back in fifth year and lifted the right side of his mouth in a crooked grin.

"You…you look brilliant," he stammered, continuing to look at her, neither of them it appeared, knew what to say.

With a bit of deviousness, Ginny walked up behind Hermione and gave her a little shove so that she stumbled into Ron's arms where they all knew she was meant to be.

* * *

George sat huddled on the steps of Hogwarts in front of the large oak doors, eyes dry and no longer capable of crying. He was spent, physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically.

"George, have you slept at all?" his mother asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Some."

"Would you like to help me take care of him?"

The question startled George and he turned his head to meet his mother's eyes. He hadn't expected that from her and he battled with himself to decide what to do.

"Why me?" George barely recognized his own voice.

"Because you knew him best. Because I know he'd do the same for you. Because I can't do it alone, George."

Slowly, George got up and took his mother's hand and went with her into the castle. They walked past huddled witches and wizards, all comforting each other and deciding what to do next.

"He's in here, dear," his mother said, leading him to one of the Charms classrooms.

He steeled himself against the wave of fear and anger that washed over him as he entered the room. Fred, still in the clothes he wore when he died, lay on a table with his hands crossed over his stomach. There was a bowl of water and two sponges on a small table next to him. His dragonskin suit hung on a hanger, dangling from a clothes tree.

Standing over his twin, George felt strange, as if looking down on his own body when it was his time to die. Inside himself, George knew that he had to go on, to live the life that he and Fred had planned on. He knew that each day without his brother would get better until it wouldn't hurt like it did now.

With gentle and firm fingers, he unbuttoned Fred's shirt and eased it down his shoulders and off his arms. As his bottom lip trembled, he grasped a sponge without looking at it and dipped it in the water, listening to splashing and feeling its coolness. George took a deep breath and brought the sponge over to Fred's body and began preparing his twin for his final journey.

* * *

The sun beat down on their shoulders, warm against the cold that filled their veins. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called to its mate, echoing across the lake.

Dean Thomas hadn't let go of Luna Lovegood's hand for several minutes, ever since they got to that spot, watching the tentacles of the giant squid splash about in the water of the Black Lake.

When they were in the cellar of Malfoy mansion, they only had each other to fill the void. Griphook was in too much pain to hold a conversation, and Ollivander was still recovering from the pain of torture. At first, he listened to her stories with polite silence, nodding when appropriate, smiling when something made him laugh (which was rather frequent), answering when he felt like it.

He'd once thought her a very strange girl, off in her own little world, if not a bit off her rocker. But those days in the cellar and at Muriel Prewett's helped him get to know the real Luna, the one that she never let too many get close to, the Luna that he'd grown to care about over the last few weeks. Dean felt privileged to be one of the few people she let in.

Luna sighed and he turned toward her, to see if she wanted to say something. She was smiling at him, a bright smile that belied the darkness of the last few days and weeks.

"Dean," she began, "can I tell you something?"

"Of course," he answered her, his brows knitting together, hoping that she would say something straight forward this time. He wasn't in the right frame of mind to figure out one of her riddles.

"You remind me of a Chocolate Frog."

He couldn't help the snort that escaped his lips. "A Chocolate Frog? Come on, Luna. You can come up with something better than that."

"I don't think I can, Dean. You're exactly like a Chocolate Frog. Your skin is dark, smooth and creamy, without blemish. It shines when there's sweat on your forehead and it soothes me." She let go of his hand and touched his cheek, her caress a welcome sensation. "You are how I got through the days of Dark magic back there." He knew what she meant without her saying so. "You're my Chocolate Frog."

* * *

Alone with her grandson cradled in her arms, Andromeda Tonks rocked back and forth in the rocker, humming a little tune that Ted had taught her when Dora was a baby. After Arthur left, she decided to stay here with Teddy and wait until the arrangements were all made. She trusted Molly and Arthur to take care of her girl and Remus as if they were their own.

Their own. They'd lost, too, and still Arthur took the time to come and deliver the news himself. She hadn't known Fred Weasley long and she was sure that his twin would be devastated, just as she was. But still, life had to go on.

She held this new little life in her arms, her grandson, who was completely unaware that his mummy and daddy would never hold him again, never kiss his downy hair again or even smell his wonderful baby smell.

Andromeda had stopped crying hours ago, shortly before Arthur left. He would have gladly stayed, but she told him to go to his own family and he grudgingly agreed. That had been about eight hours ago.

Teddy awoke and made his lovely baby sound, changing his hair from green to the royal blue she favoured.

"Well, hello there, little man," she whispered and stood up from the rocker, swaying him as she walked to the mantle. "There's something I want to tell you."

With her free hand, Andromeda took down a picture of Dora smiling as Ted put an arm around her.

"This is mummy when she became an Auror. Grampa was so proud he cried. See, there's a tear in his eye," she sniffed, trying valiantly to hold herself together. Taking a deep breath, she replaced the photo, grabbing yet another off the mantle.

"This one, little Ted," she began, her voice quaking and her hand shaking, "this is Mum and Dad when they got married. Daddy was so scared. Maybe he knew time was running out, I don't know. But on this day, he was following his heart for the first time in years. Always follow your heart, Teddy. It'll never steer you wrong."

Teddy blew bubbles from his mouth and his hair changed to light lavender. Andromeda laughed at the baby, who behaved so much like his mother and looked so much like his father. She placed the wedding photo back on the mantle and grabbed hold of the last one. This one really made her cry.

"This is you the day you were born, not so long ago. See, that's me holding you next to Mummy. You gave her a hard time, little man, but she loved you more than anything in this world." Tears flowed freely now as she continued, "She loved you enough to fight next to your daddy to give you a world where you wouldn't have to live in fear. Where the three of you could be left in peace." At those words, she broke down again, laying the photo down.

With a deep breath, she looked at him again, his hair now a chestnut brown, like his father's, and said, "But now, it's you and me, kid."

* * *

Minerva McGonagall rose from her chair in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and looked out at the faces in front of her. Some of them had been students, some had been friends and acquaintances. Others, still, were merely known to her by name.

"There is so much I want to say, but I fear that my words would not do justice to anything that we have been through. There is a saying that goes 'A picture can say a thousand words.' So here is our tribute…"

At the end of her words, a screen materialized and some soothing cello music began to play as picture after picture of each fallen hero since Voldemort's return faded into the next with the name of each fallen hero. Minerva's eyes filled with tears when those she held dear flashed before her eyes.

Cedric Diggory.

Sirius Black.

Alastor Moody.

Dobby the house-elf.

Remus Lupin.

Nymphadora Tonks Lupin.

Fred Weasley.

Colin Creevey.

Severus Snape.

Albus Dumbledore.

Every picture, even that of Snape, drew applause, but none was greater than that following the picture of Dumbledore. She noticed, too, that even those that had been Sorted into Slytherin applauded for the man.

The faces continued to fade into one another until all of them were on the screen in one montage. She stood and spoke again to the crowd.

"Please look out the windows."

With a wave of her wand, the muttons on the windows disappeared so that there was a solitary piece of glass spanning the wall facing the grounds. Out of the grass sprung a large garden of white lilies surrounded by granite benches. There was a small water fountain in the middle of the circular garden with a phoenix in the middle from which water sprayed.

There were several sobs and sniffs coming from the crowd and her eyes fell to the rows of families who had lost sons, daughters, mothers, fathers. Her planned words seemed inadequate at the time and all she could do was descend the platform she stood on and went to each and every family member and wrapped them in her arms, silently consoling them with tear-filled eyes.

* * *

Harry sat on one of the new granite benches, staring at the lilies before him. This was a beautiful memorial and if he wasn't mistaken, it was charmed to never freeze and the flowers would bloom perpetually. He looked around and saw Ginny sitting quietly next to him. He hadn't even known she was there.

"How do you always know where to find me?" He turned to her and watched her contemplate her answer.

"Don't you remember the locator spell you planted in me the first time you kissed me? It's still active you know," she quipped. "Seriously, I didn't want you to be alone anymore."

"I like being alone," he answered.

"You've been alone long enough, Harry. This is the time to be surrounded by people who love you."

Harry tilted his head and looked at her carefully this time. He knew she'd been crying during the service, but now, her face appeared calm and the colour was back in her cheeks.

"How can you be so calm? Your brother died. And Remus and Tonks…" He stopped before he broke down again and that was something he didn't want to do in front of her.

"They're not really gone," she simply stated. "Those we love never truly leave us."

"Now you sound like Luna."

"She's very wise, Harry. You should pay attention more that you do."

He simply nodded. And then it struck him; those he loved never did leave him. Ron and Hermione stuck by him. Dumbledore's words kept him moving toward his goal and kept him alive. The DA regrouped and rallied around the cause he started two years ago. His parents were there when he truly needed him the other night. And then she…

Ginny knew when she needed him and when to leave him be. Her touch could always calm him and in her embrace, he felt safe.

Suddenly, he knew what he needed to do.

"I love you, Ginny."


End file.
